London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

Luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover is to create 800 new UK jobs in what is a welcome boost for the car industry.

It comes as the Indian-owned, but British-based group, reported record global sales, driven by a surge in the Chinese market.

The car maker said the jobs, at its Solihull plant in the West Midlands, where it has already invested £370 million, would support the introduction of new models this year.

It will be welcome news after Japanese car giant Honda said last week it will cut 800 jobs at its Swindon factory, just months after taking on hundreds of extra workers because of an increase in demand.

Jaguar Land Rover said more than 200 of the new West Midlands roles would be supported by the Government's regional growth fund, which recently award the business £80 million.

Jaguar Land Rover, which is part of Tata Motors, said global sales had leapt 30% in 2012, when it sold 357,773 vehicles.

The group said China was now its biggest market and had seen a 70% jump in sales last year.

The car maker announced last year it would start manufacturing vehicles in China for the first time, after agreeing a £1 billion joint-venture with Chinese car maker Chery.

It said Land Rover sales grew 36% globally, with the top five markets in China, the UK, US, Russia and Italy, while Jaguar sales were up 6%.

Jaguar Land Rover has taken on 8,000 people in the last two years, and now employs 25,000 people around the world.

Production started at Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull plant in 1948. The site covers 300-acres where the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Defender and Discovery are all made.

Tata bought the group from Ford in 2008, in a £1.1 billion deal.

Unite's assistant general secretary Tony Burke said: "Following the bad news from Honda last week, these new jobs are to be welcomed.

"Although the contracts are for one year, we hope that we can convert them into well paid, permanent jobs in the future."

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Jaguar Land Rover's creation of 800 new jobs in Solihull to support new product development is a welcome boost for the UK automotive industry.

"The company's investment of £2 billion this year and 8,000 new jobs over the last two years shows how JLR goes from strength to strength.

"With support from the Government's Regional Growth Fund, it's a clear demonstration of where the Government working in partnership with the private sector can make a real difference to the UK economy."